B.B.C. to show test highlights

Press, 16 September 1976, Page 15

B.B.C. to show test highlights

NZPA staff corres. London The 8.8. C. still plans to show highlights on television of the fourth test between the All Blacks and the Springboks, in spite of complaints about the screening of the third test.

An hour’s play of the Cape Town match was shown on a "rugby special” programme on September 13 and provoked a written complaint to the corporation’s directorgeneral from Britain’s 1e ad i n g anti-apartheid campaigner, Peter Hain.

The screening of the test was a "monstrously insensitive snub to world opinion,” said Mr Hain. He would seek support for his campaign at the Libera! Party conference in Wales.

Mr Hain, president of the Young Liberals, said he would urge each of the party's 13 members of Parliament tb object formallv about the film to the 8.8. C.

He already has the support of one senior Liberal member, Mr Richard

Wainwright, who descubed the 8.8.C.’s decision as an affront. “Screening the winning try on the news would be one thing, but devoting an hour to the match is quite another,” Mr Wainwright said.

The 8.8. C., which has confirmed that it will also screen an hour’s highlights of Saturday’s fourth test a week later, issued a statement defending its decision.

These are probably the two finest rugby teams in the world,” it said. "Matches between them are of interest to many, many sports fans — and that is enough reason for us to screen them. The 8.8. C. has never condoned racialism. It is foolish to suggest that we are doing so by screening a rugby match.” The 8.8. C. will use South African Broadcasting Corporation film for the telecasts, but has sent its own commentator, Nigel Starmer-Smith, from London for the two tests, Only brief film of the first two tests was shown.